Educational device



Jan. 30, 1940.

L. R. POSEY EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed July 26, 1938 3 SheetS-Sheet l Jan. 30, 1940. L' R' POSEY EDUCATIONAL DEVICE K 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 26, 1938 Attorneys 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L. R. POSEY EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed July 26, 1938 A tome ys Jan. 30, 1940.

Patented Jan. 3o, 1940 UNITED STATES irrrrjrrr OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in educational devices for teaching arithmetic principally to children.

Among the important objects of the invention are to provide a simply constructed, light Weight, device of the slide rule type readily manipulative for the purpose of teaching objectively addition7 subtraction, multiplication, and division facts, the meaning of square and square roots, number sense or meaning, the meaning of remainder, the meaning of percent and fractions, and for impressing the facts of different problems upon the juvenile mind.

Another object is to provide a device adapted for the purposes set forth and also for use `as a calculating instrument within the limits of primary number facts and combinations, as taught to children.

Other and subordinate objects are also com-k prehended by my invention all of which together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specication.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a preferred embodiment of my educational device,

Figure 2 is a View in front elevation of the sighting slide detached, f

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the sighting and blinding slides removed.

Figure 5 is a View in top plan,

Figure 6 is a detail view in transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is a view in front elevation illustrating the use of the device with the blinding slides removed, and

Figure 8 is a similar view further illustrating the use of the device with the blinding slides removed.

Referring to the drawings, by numerals, the device of my invention comprises a rectangular base number-displaying panel I of suitable thickness and material and having top and bottom sides 2 and 3, respectively, a rule-like numbercombining slide 4 slightly longer than the panel I and mounted in the same adjacent the lower side thereof for enclwise manipulation lengthwise of said panel, a number-sighting, or ashing, slide 5 overlying the front face of said panel I and said slide 4 and mounted on the top and bottom` edges of said panel I for movement lengthwise of the said panel and slide 4, and a (Cl. m-75) pair of strip-like blinders 6 and 'I mounted on the panel I in the same manner as slide 5 for sliding movement along the panel and said slide 4 upon opposite sides of the former. Preferably the` panel l comprises upper and lower sections 8 i and 3 secured together in spaced relation by means of a cleat IB attached to the backs thereof, and the number-combining slide 4 is secured to said sections by tongue and groove connections The base number-display panel I is lined transversely to provide thereon two left and right hand end-column spaces I2 and I3 and nine intermediate column spaces lll. The number-combining slide 4 is similarly lined to provide left and right hand end-column spaces I5 and I6 and nine intermediate column spaces Il registering with the corresponding spaces on said panel I when the left hand end of said slide 4 is iiush with the left handend of 'said panel.

Immediately above the number-combining slide 4, said panel I has delineated thereon a line, or row, of black number symbols Zero to 9 in the column spaces I4, respectively, increasing in numerical value from left to right, and at the base of -said columns is a line I9 of printed legends designating the columns numerically in accordance with the value of the symbols of line I8 located therein.

. omitting now, for the present, further reference to the base number-displaying panel I, and reverting to the number combining slide 4, said slide has delineated thereon three upper, intermediate, and lowery lines, or rows, 20, 2|, 22, respectively, of symbols, the upper line comprising the red symbols 0 to 9 arranged in the column spaces I1 and in ascending order from right to left, the intermediate line ZI comprises the symbols l0 to 18 arranged said spaces Il in ascending order from right to left and under the symbols 1 to 9, respectively of the upper line 20, and the lower line 22 comprising red dots arranged in dice like formation in the column spaces I'I in number corresponding to the Value of the symbols in the upper line 2Q, The lines 2li, 2| and 22 are, for convenience of location, designated in the end column spaces I5 and I6 of said slide 4 in successive numerical order from the top to the bottom of said slide as indicated at 23.

Returning now to the base number-displaying panel I, above the line 9 said panel has delineated thereon a line 24 of black dots arranged in dice like formation in column spaces I4 in number corresponding to the numerical designations of `the answer column.

said column spaces. The lines 24 and 9 `of said panel I are designated in the end columns I2 and I3 in numerical order downwardly, as indicated at 25, and the line E3 of said panel designated as row I in said column spaces I2 and I3y as indicated at 25 all for convenience in locating the same. The base number-displaying panel I has further delineated thereon in each column space I4, and above the symbols oi line I8, smaller number symbols 2l' corresponding in value to multiples of the symbols in said line I8 and arranged in-line formation, the highest symbol in each column i4 being the square in value of the symbol in line It.

Coming now to the sighting-slide 5, said slide has formed therein a pair of large upperr and lower, right and left hand, sight openings 28 and E9, respectively, of substantially the width f the column spaces I4 and I1, the upper one adapted to display therethrough combinations of symbols in lines I8 and 2U, or in other-Words number combinations, and the lower one 29 for displaying combinations of symbols in lines 22 or in other words, dot combinations. Above the upper sight opening 2S said slide 5 has formed therein a vertical line of small square.

sight openings t3 spaced apart to display therethrough the multiple number symbols 2l, the openings 3i? being nine in number, it being understood that there are that number of symbols 2'? in the nines column Ill. Alongside the row of sight openings 3o, to the right hand side thereei, said slide 5 has delineated thereon a vertical line 3i of small red symbols I to 9 arranged in vertically ascending order of said openings 3i) respectively.

Referring nowv to the use of the. described device, by moving the number-combining slide il so as c place any symbols in line 2i! beneath one in line i8, and setting' the.` sighting-slide 5 over the appropriate columns I4 and II, so that the upper sight opening; 2-8 displays the combination of symbols thus effected, the followingv facts may be ascertained. For instance, let` it be assumed that said slide 1' has been moved to locate the symbol 6 of line' .'lil beneath the symbol 3 of line' it andthe said slide i' set to display the combination thus effected as shown for instance in Fig. l. In this position of said slidefi, the 9 symbol of linei 2t thereof is in the il column Il oi panel I which, in` addition, is We therefore havethe fact disclosed that 3 plus 5 equals 9. This sarneresult follows under movement: of the slide 4 to combine anr symbol 0 to 9 of line 2? thereof with those of line 8 of panel i, that is to say that tbe sum of the combination' achieved is displayed in the il column llland in red since the symbols of line 2li are red. Due to the described arrangement of the dot symbols in lines 22 and 2li, inthe above exemplified. position of the slides Il and E, the lower openingi3 displays therethrough the dot combination of ve red dots in row` 22 and fourk black dots in row Z5, making nine dots, and in the ii column of panel I nine red dots ci row .t2 are located thus again giving the ansay in said il column, and giving another problem with the same answer to impress upon the mind of the child different numberfacts objectively. ln each case the number to be added is red and the answer red thus further impressing the problem on the mind of the student.

With the slides l and in the described position, the following multiplication facts may be ascertained as follows. Using the large black symbols in line Iii, displayed through sight opening 2S, as the multiplier, and the small red symbols in line 3i as multiplicands, we find the answer up to the square of the multiplier in the sight opening When it is desired to go above the square of the multiplier, the answer can be found in the' next column lll to the right into which the slide il should be moved to display the answer through the sight openings Sil. This arrangement provides for emphasizing the square root of nui'zibers up to 9.

If it :Es desired to ascertain the facts of nurnbers l0 to i8, or in other words the symbols in line ii, the number-combining slide i must be moved to lo the selected numb-er in the il column hl di" panel l, slide i5 not being used in this instance. For instance, assuming that the number is selected, under the adjustment of the part described, and as shown in Fig. 7, and reading from left to right and down we have the coinbinations b nl; G, 7, 8 and 9 with red 9, and

respectiv lines iii and o each combination eoualing The black and red dots cr" lines and li'reading from lei't to right and upwardly 'h the if the com nations in these columns are added, thus t hing the lesson again objectively and the same in corresponding colors. er in which division, percentage, and ay be taught, and the device used as ng instrument, need not be entered into herein, the foregoing will suiice to impart a clear understanding of ari-illustrative use the invention and the advantages inherent in umns of slide li registered therewith so as tohide the answer in the il column ifi and the factsfin the il column di if desired or slipped from blinding position illustrated in Fig. 8.

manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptiblel ci' modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such. modiications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

l. 'An educational device for teaching number facts comprising a rectangular panel having deiineated therein lengthwise thereof aline of number symbols, a rufe-like number-combining slide mortised in said panel for endwise sliding movement parallel" with said line and having delineated thereon a line oi number symbols similar to those of the rst mentioned line, whereby under endwise movement of said slide to different positions symbols oi said lines may be combined at will in column formation to present selected problems in addition, the symbols of each line being'of successively higher value and the order of succession .in one line being reverse to that in the other, whereby the symbols of the second mentioned line in the` extreme leit hand column indicate the answer to any selected problem, said panel and slide having depicted thereon a pair of parallel complemental lines of dots arranged in dice-like formation and presenting in said different positions of the slide, dot combinations in column icrm, of total values corresponding to those of the symbols of the diierent problems to thereby display different number facts of problems objectively.

2. An educational device for teaching number facts comprising a rectangular panel having delineated therein lengthwise thereof a line of numoolurnn lll will give the same answer ber symbols, a rule like number combining slide mortised in said panel for endwise sliding movement parallel with said line and having delineated thereon a line of number symbols similar to those of the first mentioned line, whereby under endwise movement or" said slide to different positions symbols of said lines may be combined at will in column formation. to present selected problems in addition., the symbols of each line being of successively higher value and the order of succession in one line being reverse to that in the other, whereby the symbols of the second mentioned line in the extreme lefthand column indicate the answer to any selected problem, said panel and slide having depicted thereon a pair of parallel complemental lines of dots arranged .in dice-like formation and presenting in `said different positions of the slide, dot-combinations in column form, of total values corresponding to those of the symbols of the different problems to thereby display different number 'facts of problems objectively, the dots in one line being distinguished by color from those in the other to distinguish the value added.

3. An educational device for teaching number facts comprising a rectangular panel having delineated therein lengthwise thereof a line of number symbols, a rule-like number-combining slide mortised in said panel for endwise sliding movement parallel with said line and having delineated thereon a line of number symbols similar to those of the rst mentioned line, whereby under endwise movement of said slide to diierent positions symbols of said lines may be combined at will in column formation to present selected problems in addition, the symbols of each line being of successively higher value and the order of succession in one line being reverse to that in the other, whereby the symbols of the second mentioned line in the extreme left hand column indicates the answer to any selected problem, said panel and slide having depicted thereon a pair of parallel complemental lines of dots arranged in dice-like formation and presenting in said different positions of the slide, dot-combinations in column form, of total values correspending to those of the symbols of the different problems to thereby display different number facts of problems objectively, and a numbersighting slide having sight openings therein mounted on said' panel for movement along the same and said combining slide to different positions to display through the openings thereof the problems and the dot-combinations corresponding in total values thereto.`

4. An educational device for teaching number facts comprising a rectangular panel having delineated therein longitudinally thereof a line of number symbols of successively higher value, and transversely thereof lines of number symbols related. to the symbols of the line first mentioned, the symbols of the second mentioned lines being multiples of the related symbol of the rst mentioned line, and a number-sighting slide mounted on said panel for movement along the same to different positions and being provided with a sight opening for displaying therethrough the symbol of the rst mentioned line, rows of sight openings for displaying the relative row of multiples, and rows of number symbols thereon opposite said rows oi sight openings, respectively, the symbols of said last rows being multiplicands.

LEROY R. POSEY. 

